By 2033, never-married adults in England and Wales could outnumber those who are married, government statisticians say.
The number of couples living together and having children without marriage is also expected to climb, the Office for National Statistics said Thursday. Based on current trends, statisticians predicted that in 2033, 22.7 million adults will be unmarried and there will be 22.5 million who have tied the knot, The Daily Telegraph reported.
In 2008, there were 15.3 million single adults, about 35 percent of the population. Almost half, 49 percent, or 21.7 million adults, were married,
with the remainder widowed or divorced.
Groups that advocate for marriage say government policy has fueled the trend by giving unmarried couples more rights. One proposal that has not yet become law would give cohabiting partners the same inheritance rights as spouses after two years.
"We know that cohabiting in this country does not reflect marriage and is less stable marriage," said Anastasia de Waal of the think tank Civitas. "If we see a proliferation of cohabiting then we will see a decline in stable relationships and that has major implications for children, who are more likely to face separation."